B1 Verb Tenses 17 min read Medium

Mastering Irregular Verbs: Beyond the -ed (Past Participles)

Master irregular past participles to speak fluently about past actions connected to the present.
Mark as Learned
Practice it

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Irregular past participles are the 'V3' forms used in perfect tenses and passive voice that don't end in -ed.

  • Use the participle form after 'have' or 'has' for the Present Perfect (e.g., 'I have eaten').
  • Use it after 'be' for the Passive Voice (e.g., 'The glass was broken').
  • Memorize patterns like i-a-u (sing-sang-sung) or those ending in -en (speak-spoke-spoken).
Subject + have/has + [Irregular Participle] + Object

Overview

Learn special words to speak better. These words are different.

In 'I have eaten', the word 'eaten' is special.

These are very old words. They change the middle sound.

Most words use -ed. But common words are often different.

You need these words. Say 'I have seen that movie.'

Conjugation Table

Base Form Simple Past Past Participle Pattern Type
:--- :--- :--- :---
--- Group A: All Forms Same --- ---
cut cut cut A.1 No Change
hit hit hit A.1 No Change
cost cost cost A.1 No Change
read read (sounds like "red") read (sounds like "red") A.2 Pronunciation Change
--- Group B: Past & Past Participle Same --- ---
bring brought brought B.1 -ought/-aught Ending
buy bought bought B.1 -ought/-aught Ending
catch caught caught B.1 -ought/-aught Ending
teach taught taught B.1 -ought/-aught Ending
build built built B.2 -d to -t
send sent sent B.2 -d to -t
spend spent spent B.2 -d to -t
feel felt felt B.3 Vowel Shortening
keep kept kept B.3 Vowel Shortening
leave left left B.3 Vowel Shortening
meet met met B.3 Vowel Shortening
find found found B.4 Vowel Change (i to ou)
hold held held B.5 Other Vowel Changes
lose lost lost B.5 Other Vowel Changes
sell sold sold B.5 Other Vowel Changes
say said said B.5 Other Vowel Changes
make made made B.5 Other Vowel Changes
--- Group C: Past Participle ends in -en or -n --- ---
break broke broken C.1 o-o-en
choose chose chosen C.1 o-o-en
speak spoke spoken C.1 o-o-en
steal stole stolen C.1 o-o-en
drive drove driven C.2 i-o-en
ride rode ridden C.2 i-o-en
write wrote written C.2 i-o-en
eat ate eaten C.3 Different Vowel Change + -en
fall fell fallen C.3 Different Vowel Change + -en
give gave given C.3 Different Vowel Change + -en
forget forgot forgotten C.3 Different Vowel Change + -en
see saw seen C.4 -n Suffix
draw drew drawn C.4 -n Suffix
grow grew grown C.4 -n Suffix
know knew known C.4 -n Suffix
throw threw thrown C.4 -n Suffix
--- Group D: i-a-u Pattern --- ---
begin began begun D.1 i-a-u
drink drank drunk D.1 i-a-u
sing sang sung D.1 i-a-u
swim swam swum D.1 i-a-u
--- Group E: Other Patterns --- ---
become became become E.1 Base Form = Past Participle
come came come E.1 Base Form = Past Participle
run ran run E.1 Base Form = Past Participle
be was/were been E.2 Suppletive (Highly Irregular)
do did done E.2 Suppletive (Highly Irregular)
go went gone E.2 Suppletive (Highly Irregular)

How This Grammar Works

These words cannot be alone. Use them with 'have' or 'be'.
1. Forming the Perfect Tenses
Use with 'have' for finished things. They join past to now.
  • Present Perfect: Shows an action completed in the past with relevance to the present.
  • Formula: have/has + past participle
  • I have written the report. (The report is ready now.)
  • She has broken her watch. (The watch is not working now.)
  • Past Perfect: Shows an action that was completed before another action or time in the past.
  • Formula: had + past participle
  • I had written the report before the meeting started. (Writing was finished before the meeting.)
  • She realized she had lost her keys. (The loss happened before she realized it.)
2. What happens to things
Talk about the thing, not the person. Use 'be' with these.
  • Formula: form of be + past participle
  • The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci. (Focus is on the painting, not the painter.)
  • This song is played on the radio often. (Focus is on the song.)
  • The documents have been sent. (Present perfect passive; focus is on the documents' status.)
3. Functioning as an Adjective
These words describe things. Put them before a name word.
  • Be careful with the broken glass. (broken describes the glass.)
  • I need a copy of the signed contract. (signed describes the contract.)
  • He felt tired after the long journey. (tired describes his state.)
4. Creating Participial Phrases
Use these for more info. It makes your sentences short.
  • The car stolen from the garage was found yesterday. (Instead of "The car that was stolen...")
  • The theory proposed by Dr. Evans changed everything. (Instead of "The theory that was proposed...")

Formation Pattern

1
Learn words in groups. Many words follow the same pattern.
2
Group A: No Change or Pronunciation Change
3
These are easy. The word does not change at all.
4
A.1 No Change: cut / cut / cut, hit / hit / hit, cost / cost / cost.
5
The letters stay same. But the sound changes to 'red'.
6
Group B: The other word forms are the same.
7
This is a big group. We use these words often.
8
B.1 Words ending in -ought. Example: buy becomes bought.
9
B.2 Change -d to -t. Example: send becomes sent.
10
B.3 Long sounds become short. Example: keep becomes kept.
11
B.4 Vowel Change (i to ou): Example: find / found, bind / bound.
12
B.5 Other Vowel Changes: This is a catch-all for others in this group. Examples: sell / sold, tell / told, lose / lost, win / won, sit / sat.
13
Group C: Words ending in -en or -n.
14
This is an old way. These words end in -en.
15
C.1 Middle becomes 'o'. End is 'en'. Example: speak, spoke, spoken.
16
C.2 Words change i to o. Example: drive, drove, driven.
17
C.3 Other sound changes. They end in -en. Example: eat, ate, eaten.
18
C.4 These end in -n. Example: know, knew, known.
19
Group D: The i-a-u Pattern
20
These words change the middle letter. Use i, then a, then u. Example: sing, sang, sung.
21
Group E: Other Patterns
22
In this group, the first and third words are the same. Example: come, came, come.
23
These words change a lot. You must learn each one by heart. Example: go, went, gone.

When To Use It

Use the third form of the word in these times:
  • To talk about life experiences. The present perfect is the standard way to express that something did or did not happen at an unspecified time in your life. The focus is on the experience itself.
  • I have been to Canada twice.
  • She has never seen a real elephant.
  • To show the present result of a past action. When a past event has a clear and relevant consequence now, use the present perfect.
  • I have lost my wallet. (The result is I don't have it now.)
  • He has finished his homework. (The result is he is free now.)
  • In the passive voice, when the 'doer' is unknown or unimportant. The passive structure allows you to focus on the object or person that received the action.
  • My bike was stolen last night. (We don't know who stole it.)
  • This building was designed in 1982. (The building is more important than the architect in this context.)
  • As an adjective to describe a noun's state. This is a very efficient way to add descriptive detail.
  • The frozen food is in the freezer.
  • She submitted the written report.

When Not To Use It

Do not make mistakes. It is important to know what is wrong.
  • Do not use the past participle alone for a simple past action. The most common error is using the past participle form when the simple past is required. A simple past action happened at a specific, finished time.
  • Incorrect: I seen him yesterday.
  • Correct: I saw him yesterday.
  • Incorrect: She done her work.
  • Correct: She did her work.
  • Do not confuse the simple past and past participle forms in perfect tenses. When a verb has three distinct forms (e.g., begin/began/begun), you must use the third form for perfect tenses.
  • Incorrect: They have began the project.
  • Correct: They have begun the project.
  • Incorrect: He has drank all the milk.
  • Correct: He has drunk all the milk.
  • Do not use the past participle in active voice sentences in the simple past. The past participle's role in the active voice is reserved for perfect tenses with have.
  • Incorrect: She written the email.
  • Correct: She wrote the email.

Common Mistakes

Students often make these mistakes. Read them so you do not.
  1. 1Confusing go/went/gone: This is arguably the most common irregular verb error.
  • Error: He has went to the shop.
  • Reason: Using the simple past (went) instead of the past participle (gone) with has.
  • Correction: He has gone to the shop.
  1. 1Using Simple Past in Passive Voice: The passive voice always requires be + past participle.
  • Error: The book was wrote by her.
  • Reason: Using simple past (wrote) instead of the past participle (written) after was.
  • Correction: The book was written by her.
  1. 1Mixing up i-a-u verbs: Forgetting that the u form is the past participle.
  • Error: I have already drank my coffee.
  • Reason: Using the simple past form (drank) with have.
  • Correction: I have already drunk my coffee.
  1. 1Using Past Participle for Simple Past: As mentioned before, this is a fundamental error.
  • Error: I seen that film last week.
  • Reason: Using the past participle (seen) without an auxiliary verb (have) for a finished past action.
  • Correction: I saw that film last week.
  1. 1Over-regularizing -ught verbs: Applying the -ed rule to verbs that have a -ught pattern.
  • Error: I buyed a new phone. or He teached me English.
  • Reason: Failure to recognize the verb as irregular.
  • Correction: I bought a new phone. / He taught me English.

Memory Trick

Do not just read lists. Learn words that sound the same.

Put words in groups by sound. Practice one group every day. Say them out loud.

Make a short sentence with words that sound the same. It helps you remember.

Often, the third word ends with -en or -n. Example: speak, spoke, spoken.

Listen to songs and movies. Say the words out loud. This helps you learn.

Real Conversations

Textbook examples are clean, but real language is often faster and more concise. Here’s how you'll encounter past participles in everyday modern English.

- Texting & Social Media: Contractions are standard. The subject is sometimes dropped if it's obvious.

- U seen the new episode? (Have you seen...)

- Been there, done that. (I have been there, I have done that.)

- My phone screen is cracked. So annoyed. (cracked is a past participle as an adjective.)

- Workplace Communication (Email/Slack): The passive voice is very common because it's professional and indirect. It focuses on the work, not the person.

- The Q4 report has been sent.

- This task was marked as complete.

- I've attached the final version.

- Casual Spoken English: Notice the use of gotten in American English and the natural flow of the present perfect.

- I've forgotten what he said.

- Have you eaten yet?

- She's gotten much better at guitar. (American English)

- He must have taken the wrong turn.

Contrast With Similar Patterns

Students often use the wrong word. Do not mix them up.
1. Using the second word vs. the third word.
This is very important. The time tells you which word to use.
| Type | Second word | Third word |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Use | For things finished before. | For things linked to now. |
| Form | The second word. | The third word. |
| Help | Use the word alone. | Use 'have' or 'has' before it. |
| Time Signal | Often used with yesterday, last week, in 2010. | Often used with already, yet, ever, never, for, since. |
| Example | I wrote the email yesterday. | I have written the email. (It's ready now.) |
| Example | She went to Italy last year. | She has been to Italy. (It's a life experience.) |
2. Using -ed and -ing words for feelings.
These words have different meanings. Be careful when talking about feelings.
  • The past participle (-ed, -en, etc.) describes the receiver of the feeling or action. It's a passive feeling.
  • I am bored. (Something is causing me to feel bored.)
  • The child was frightened by the loud noise.
  • The present participle (-ing) describes the source of the feeling or action. It's an active quality.
  • This movie is boring. (The movie is causing the feeling of boredom.)
  • That was a frightening noise.
Think of it this way: a person is interested, but a book is interesting. A student is confused, but the instructions are confusing.

Progressive Practice

1

Work through these levels to build and test your knowledge.

2

Level 1: Find the right word.

3

Pick the correct third word for each sentence.

4

I have never (flew / flown) in a helicopter.

5

The package was (sent / sended) last Monday.

6

Have you (drank / drunk) all the juice?

7

The window was (broke / broken) by the storm.

(Answers: flown, sent, drunk, broken)

Level 2: Simple Past to Present Perfect

Change these simple past sentences into present perfect sentences.

8

I lost my keys. -> I have lost my keys.

9

She ate lunch. -> She has eaten lunch.

10

They saw the movie. -> They have seen the movie.

11

He did his homework. -> He has done his homework.

Level 3: Choose the Correct Tense

Fill in the blanks with either the simple past or the present perfect form of the verb in parentheses.

12

I _______ (see) that movie last year. It was great.

13

She _______ (never / be) to Asia, but she wants to go.

14

He _______ (write) three emails so far this morning.

15

They _______ (finish) the project two days ago.

(Answers: saw, has never been, has written, finished)

Quick FAQ

Q1: What's the difference between been and gone?
  • gone means someone went somewhere and has not returned. He has gone to the store. (He is at the store now.)
  • been means someone went somewhere and has returned. It refers to a completed visit or experience. I have been to the store. (I went and now I am back.)
Q2: Why do I see both got and gotten?
  • This is a primary difference between British and American English. In British English, the past participle of get is got. (She has got a new car.) In American English, the past participle is gotten. (She has gotten a new car.) Both are correct in their respective dialects.
Q3: Do I need to learn every word?
  • Yes, eventually. However, start with the most common ones. The verbs in the conjugation table in this guide represent the highest-frequency verbs you will encounter. Master those first, and you will be able to handle over 90% of situations.
Q4: Why do these words look the same but sound different?
  • This is a historical accident. In Old English, the vowel sounds in the past forms of this verb were different. Over time, the spelling for the past and past participle forms was standardized to match the base form, but the pronunciation difference (/riːd/ vs. /rɛd/) was retained. It's a true oddity you simply have to memorize.

Common Irregular Verb Patterns (V1-V2-V3)

Base (V1) Past Simple (V2) Past Participle (V3) Pattern
Sing
Sang
Sung
i-a-u shift
Drink
Drank
Drunk
i-a-u shift
Speak
Spoke
Spoken
o-en ending
Write
Wrote
Written
i-o-en ending
Buy
Bought
Bought
A-B-B (Same V2/V3)
Find
Found
Found
A-B-B (Same V2/V3)
Go
Went
Gone
Totally Irregular
Eat
Ate
Eaten
A-B-C pattern
Put
Put
Put
No Change
Cut
Cut
Cut
No Change

Present Perfect Contractions

Full Form Contraction Example
I have eaten
I've eaten
I've eaten already.
You have seen
You've seen
You've seen this before.
He has gone
He's gone
He's gone home.
She has done
She's done
She's done a great job.
It has broken
It's broken
It's broken again.
We have known
We've known
We've known them for years.
They have taken
They've taken
They've taken the car.

Meanings

The past participle is a non-finite verb form used to create perfect tenses, the passive voice, and to act as an adjective describing a state resulting from an action.

1

Perfect Tenses

Used with the auxiliary verb 'have' to indicate completed actions with relevance to the present or another point in time.

“I have known him for years.”

“They had already gone when I arrived.”

2

Passive Voice

Used with the verb 'be' to shift focus from the doer to the receiver of the action.

“The letter was sent yesterday.”

“The cake was eaten by the kids.”

3

Adjectival Use

Used as an adjective to describe a noun, often indicating a state or condition.

“A broken window.”

“A hidden treasure.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Mastering Irregular Verbs: Beyond the -ed (Past Participles)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Subject + have/has + V3
I have **seen** the movie.
Negative
Subject + haven't/hasn't + V3
She hasn't **written** the email.
Question
Have/Has + Subject + V3?
Have you **driven** a truck?
Passive
Subject + be + V3
The cake was **eaten**.
Adjective
V3 + Noun
A **broken** heart.
Past Perfect
Subject + had + V3
They had **gone** before I arrived.
Future Perfect
Subject + will have + V3
I will have **finished** by 5 PM.

Formality Spectrum

Formal
The assignment has been completed and submitted.

The assignment has been completed and submitted. (Work/Task completion)

Neutral
I have finished the work.

I have finished the work. (Work/Task completion)

Informal
I'm done with it.

I'm done with it. (Work/Task completion)

Slang
I've crushed it.

I've crushed it. (Work/Task completion)

The Three Lives of a Participle

Past Participle (V3)

Tenses

  • Present Perfect I have eaten
  • Past Perfect I had eaten

Voice

  • Passive Voice It was eaten

Description

  • Adjective The eaten apple

Past Simple vs. Past Participle

Past Simple (V2)
I ate Action at a specific time
Past Participle (V3)
I have eaten Action with a result now

Which form do I use?

1

Is there a helper verb (have/be)?

YES
Use V3 (Participle)
NO
Is it a finished past time?
2

Is it a finished past time?

YES
Use V2 (Past Simple)
NO
Use V1 (Base)

Irregular Groups

📝

The -en Group

  • • Written
  • • Spoken
  • • Hidden
🎤

The Vowel Shift

  • • Sung
  • • Drunk
  • • Swum
✂️

The Identicals

  • • Cut
  • • Put
  • • Hit
Sign up free to read full explanation

Examples by Level

1

I have seen that movie.

2

She has gone to the shop.

3

We have eaten dinner.

4

Have you done your homework?

1

I have broken my glasses.

2

He has already bought the tickets.

3

They have known each other for a week.

4

The window was broken by the ball.

1

I've never flown in a private jet before.

2

The report was written by the manager.

3

By the time I arrived, they had already begun.

4

She has hidden the keys somewhere.

1

The stolen goods were recovered by the police.

2

I've been forbidden from entering the building.

3

Having undergone surgery, he needed rest.

4

The project will have been completed by Friday.

1

The document was smitten with errors.

2

Forsaken by his friends, he felt truly alone.

3

The truth, though long hidden, eventually emerged.

4

He had his pride stung by the criticism.

1

The sunken ship lay at the bottom of the ocean.

2

Woven into the fabric of society is a sense of duty.

3

The candidate has outswum his rivals in the polls.

4

The law was overridden by the supreme court.

Easily Confused

Mastering Irregular Verbs: Beyond the -ed (Past Participles) vs Past Simple vs. Past Participle

Learners use the V2 form (e.g., 'went') when they need the V3 form (e.g., 'gone') because they look the same for regular verbs.

Mastering Irregular Verbs: Beyond the -ed (Past Participles) vs Lie vs. Lay

These two verbs are notoriously difficult because the past simple of 'lie' is 'lay', and the participle is 'lain'.

Mastering Irregular Verbs: Beyond the -ed (Past Participles) vs Regular vs. Irregular Participles

Learners try to add -ed to irregular verbs because it's the most common rule in English.

Common Mistakes

✗

I have go.

✓

I have gone.

You must use the participle (V3), not the base form (V1) after 'have'.
✗

I have eated.

✓

I have eaten.

Don't add -ed to irregular verbs.
✗

He has saw it.

✓

He has seen it.

Don't use the Past Simple (V2) with 'has'.
✗

I seen him.

✓

I saw him. / I have seen him.

The participle 'seen' cannot stand alone without 'have'.
✗

The glass was broke.

✓

The glass was broken.

Passive voice requires the V3 form, not V2.
✗

I have drank the water.

✓

I have drunk the water.

Confusing the 'a' (Past Simple) and 'u' (Participle) forms.
✗

She has forgot.

✓

She has forgotten.

Using the shortened past form instead of the full participle.
✗

I have putted it there.

✓

I have put it there.

'Put' does not change in any form.
✗

I have swam today.

✓

I have swum today.

Incorrect vowel shift for the participle.
✗

The book was wrote by him.

✓

The book was written by him.

Using V2 instead of V3 in a formal passive sentence.
✗

I had went before him.

✓

I had gone before him.

Past Perfect requires V3, not V2.
✗

He has bit me.

✓

He has bitten me.

Using the past simple 'bit' instead of the participle 'bitten'.
✗

The sun has rose.

✓

The sun has risen.

Confusing 'rose' (V2) with 'risen' (V3).
✗

He was strucked by lightning.

✓

He was struck by lightning.

Double marking an irregular verb with -ed.
✗

I have strove to succeed.

✓

I have striven to succeed.

Using the less common V2 'strove' in place of V3 'striven'.
✗

The bell has rang.

✓

The bell has rung.

Vowel shift error in a perfect tense.

Sentence Patterns

I have never ___ in my life.

The window was ___ by the wind.

By the time we arrived, the food had already been ___.

Having ___ the truth, she felt much better.

Real World Usage

Job Interviews very common

I have **led** several successful projects.

Texting Friends constant

I've already **eaten**, but I'll come for a drink!

Travel & Tourism very common

Have you ever **been** to Japan?

News Headlines common

The missing child has been **found**.

Social Media very common

Look at this amazing photo I've **taken**!

Food Delivery Apps occasional

Your order has been **picked** up.

Sign up free to see all examples
💡

The 'Have' Test

If you aren't sure which form to use, try putting 'I have' before it. If 'I have [word]' sounds right, it's the participle.
⚠️

Don't Over-ED

Common verbs like 'go', 'see', and 'do' are almost always irregular. Never say 'goed', 'seed', or 'doed'!
🎯

Learn in Groups

Don't memorize alphabetically. Memorize by pattern (e.g., all the -en verbs together).
💬

Got vs Gotten

If you are in the UK, use 'got'. If you are in the US, 'gotten' is much more common for the participle.

Smart Tips

Check if the verb is irregular. If it is, make sure you aren't using the past simple form by mistake.

I have wrote the letter. → I have written the letter.

Use the participle as an adjective to sound more natural.

The window that someone broke. → The broken window.

It is almost certainly a past participle. Use it with 'have' or 'be'.

I seen it. → I have seen it.

Remember the 'i-a-u' rule. The 'u' is for the participle.

I have swam in the ocean. → I have swum in the ocean.

Pronunciation

sung /sʌŋ/, drunk /drʌŋ/

The 'U' sound

In i-a-u verbs, the 'u' in the participle is usually a short /ʌ/ sound, like in 'cup'.

I've gone /aɪv ɡɒn/

Reduced 'Have'

In natural speech, 'have' is often reduced to /v/ after a pronoun, making the participle the most prominent sound.

Emphasis on the Participle

I have SEEN it. ↗

Conveys strong confirmation or experience.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember the 'U' in 'Sung' and 'Drunk' stands for 'Used with Have'.

Visual Association

Imagine a bridge. On one side is the past, on the other is the present. The Past Participle is the bridge that connects them, always supported by two pillars: 'Have' and 'Be'.

Rhyme

I see, I saw, I have seen; my English skills are sharp and keen!

Story

A man named V3 went to a party. He was very shy and never went anywhere without his best friends, 'Have' or 'Be'. One day, he 'had gone' to the store and 'was seen' by everyone.

Word Web

EatenBrokenGoneSeenDoneWrittenKnown

Challenge

Look around your room and find 5 things that are in a certain state. Describe them using participles (e.g., 'The light is switched on', 'The book is closed', 'The window is shut').

Cultural Notes

Americans frequently use 'gotten' as the past participle of 'get', whereas British speakers almost exclusively use 'got'.

In AAVE, the past simple form is sometimes used where standard English requires the participle, or vice versa, which is a systematic grammatical feature of the dialect.

Irish English often uses the 'after + -ing' structure instead of the present perfect with a participle to show a recently completed action.

Most irregular participles come from 'Strong Verbs' in Old English, which changed their vowels to show tense.

Conversation Starters

“

Have you ever broken a bone?

“

What is the most beautiful place you have ever seen?

“

Have you ever flown in a hot air balloon?

“

What has been the most difficult thing you've ever done?

Journal Prompts

Write about three things you have done this week that you are proud of.
Describe a time you found something valuable that someone else had lost.
If you could have any book written about your life, what would the title be and why?
Reflect on a major change in your life. How have you grown since then?

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Sign up free to see all tips

Test Yourself

Choose the correct past participle form. Multiple Choice

I have ___ my keys again!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: lost
The past participle of 'lose' is 'lost'.
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb 'speak'.

She has ___ to the manager about the problem.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: spoken
The participle form (V3) of 'speak' is 'spoken'.
Correct the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

I have went to that restaurant many times.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I have gone
You must use 'gone' (V3) with 'have', not 'went' (V2).
Put the words in the correct order. Sentence Building

broken / has / the / window / been

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The window has been broken
The passive structure is Subject + has been + V3.
Which of these is a Past Participle (V3)? Grammar Sorting

Identify the V3 form of 'swim'.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: swum
The i-a-u pattern for swim is swim-swam-swum.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Have you ___ the new movie? B: Yes, I saw it last night.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: seen
Questions starting with 'Have you' require the V3 form.
Is this rule true or false? True False Rule

The past participle of 'cut' is 'cutted'.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
'Cut' is a no-change verb; the participle is 'cut'.
Match the base verb to its irregular participle. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Flown
The participle of 'fly' is 'flown'.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Choose the correct past participle form. Multiple Choice

I have ___ my keys again!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: lost
The past participle of 'lose' is 'lost'.
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb 'speak'.

She has ___ to the manager about the problem.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: spoken
The participle form (V3) of 'speak' is 'spoken'.
Correct the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

I have went to that restaurant many times.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I have gone
You must use 'gone' (V3) with 'have', not 'went' (V2).
Put the words in the correct order. Sentence Building

broken / has / the / window / been

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The window has been broken
The passive structure is Subject + has been + V3.
Which of these is a Past Participle (V3)? Grammar Sorting

Identify the V3 form of 'swim'.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: swum
The i-a-u pattern for swim is swim-swam-swum.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Have you ___ the new movie? B: Yes, I saw it last night.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: seen
Questions starting with 'Have you' require the V3 form.
Is this rule true or false? True False Rule

The past participle of 'cut' is 'cutted'.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
'Cut' is a no-change verb; the participle is 'cut'.
Match the base verb to its irregular participle. Match Pairs

Match 'Fly'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Flown
The participle of 'fly' is 'flown'.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

12 exercises
Complete the sentence with the correct past participle. Fill in the Blank

The concert has already ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: begun
Identify and correct the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

She has wrote three emails this morning.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She has written three emails this morning.
Select the sentence with the correct irregular past participle. Multiple Choice

Which sentence is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I have taken my dog for a walk.
Translate the sentence into English, using the Present Perfect. Translation

Translate into English: 'Él ha comido todo el chocolate.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["He has eaten all the chocolate.","He's eaten all the chocolate."]
Unscramble the words to form a grammatically correct sentence. Sentence Reorder

Arrange these words into a sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I've never seen such a beautiful sunset
Match each base form with its corresponding past participle. Match Pairs

Match the base verb with its past participle form:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: matched
Fill in the blank with the correct past participle. Fill in the Blank

The letter was ___ a week ago.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: written
Correct the error in the sentence's verb form. Error Correction

Many mistakes have been made by the team.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Many mistakes have been made by the team.
Translate into English: 'Nunca he volado en avión.' Translation

Translate the sentence into English:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["I have never flown on a plane.","I've never flown on a plane."]
Select the option that correctly completes the sentence. Multiple Choice

She hasn't ___ her new car yet.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: driven
Reorder the words to form a grammatically correct question. Sentence Reorder

Arrange these words into a question:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Have you read that book
Match the base verb with its irregular past participle. Match Pairs

Match the verb forms:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: matched

Score: /12

FAQ (8)

V2 is the Past Simple (e.g., `ate`), used for finished actions. V3 is the Past Participle (e.g., `eaten`), used with 'have' or 'be'.

Because they don't follow the standard rule of adding `-ed` to the end of the verb.

Usually yes for tenses, but you can also use them with 'be' for the passive voice or alone as an adjective (e.g., `a broken heart`).

Yes, it is the standard past participle of 'get' in American English. In British English, 'got' is preferred.

There are about 200 common ones, but you only need to know about 50-70 for daily conversation.

No, that is usually a gerund (the -ing form). Participles act as verbs or adjectives.

Words like `been`, `done`, `seen`, and `gone` are among the most frequently used in English.

It's both! You can say 'I have drunk the juice' (verb) or 'He is drunk' (adjective).

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

Sign up free to practice

In Other Languages

Spanish high

El participio

English participles don't change for gender or number, while Spanish ones sometimes do in passive forms.

French high

Le participe passé

French participles must agree with the subject or object in certain conditions, which never happens in English.

German high

Partizip II

German participles usually add a 'ge-' prefix, which English lost centuries ago.

Japanese low

Te-form / Ta-form

Japanese verbs don't have a distinct 'third form' used specifically for perfect tenses like English does.

Arabic moderate

Ism al-Maf'ul (Passive Participle)

Arabic perfective aspect is usually shown through verb stems rather than a helper verb + participle construction.

Chinese none

Aspect particles (le, guo)

There is no conjugation or 'third form' to memorize in Chinese.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Next
English Present Perfect: Connecting Past to Now (Basic Formation)

Continue With

C1 Requires

Past Participle Clauses (Passive): Slim down your sentences

Overview Past Participle Clauses (Passive) represent an advanced grammatical structure crucial for achieving C1-level fl...

Related Videos

The Nighttime Skincare Routine That Really Works! | This Morning 09:30

The Nighttime Skincare Routine That Really Works! | This Morning
Jim's Best Pranks Against Dwight - The Office US 10:01

Jim's Best Pranks Against Dwight - The Office US
The International Criminal Court: Fit for purpose? | People & Power Documentary 25:21

The International Criminal Court: Fit for purpose? | People & Power Documentary
Learn English Tenses: The Present Perfect 6:13 YouTube

Learn English Tenses: The Present Perfect

Learn English with Bob the Canadian

Related Grammar Rules

B1

Present Perfect: US vs UK (I've done vs I did)

Overview The Present Perfect tense describes actions completed in the past that maintain a connection to the present. Th...
A2

Phrasal Verbs: An Introduction (Turn On, Give Up, Look After)

## Phrasal Verbs: An Introduction A **phrasal verb** = verb + particle (up, on, off, out, in, away...) The combination...
B1

Life Experiences: Present Perfect with Ever and Never

Overview The Present Perfect with `ever` and `never` is a cornerstone for discussing personal experiences, enabling you...
B2

Future Continuous (will be -ing)

Overview The **Future Continuous** (also called the Future Progressive) is a verb tense used to project yourself into th...
B1

English Present Perfect: Connecting Past to Now (Basic Formation)

Overview The English **Present Perfect** tense serves a crucial function in connecting past events or states with the pr...
Was this helpful?

Comments (0)

Login to Comment
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!